Method and apparatus for treating strip plastic material



2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 11, 1944.

C. W. LEGUILLON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRIP PLASTIC MATERIAL Filled Nov. 6, 1942 Jan. 1l, 1944. c w. LEGUILLON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRIP PLASTIC MATERIAL Filed Nov. A6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 27 ENEL. [haze/e5 Uegu//an LVO Patented Jan. ll, 1944 s PATENT OFFICE METHOD .APPARATUS FR TBEATING STRIP PLASTIC MATERIAL Charles W. Legnillon, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York A Application November 6, 1942, Serial No. 484,724

1s claims. (ci. 11i-z) This invention relates to the treatment of ,strip plasticl material and is especially useful in the treatment of strips of plastic rubberlor other rubber-like material after it has been" formed as a strip.

In the `manufacture of rubber and other rubber-like plastic materials in strip form and of gravity higher than water, as in case of tire tread stock,-by extruding or calendering, the warm plastic material is subjected to considerable pressure and manipulation so that it is delivered in strip form subject to internal strains Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the cooling trough, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line I -lof -Ii'ig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to a modification.

Fig. 5 is lan enlarged cross-sectional view g. 2 but showing taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

and,'in cooling, shrinks greatly in'length if not.

restrained, with a corresponding v'thickening of cross-section, especially at ends ofl the'strip.y It

is therefore advisable so toy treat the strip material as to neutralize the strains. reduce its temperature, and provide a cut strip that can hold its dimensions during brief storage .and during building operations, as in the case of stripA stock for tire treads.

Heretofore, devices as have been proposed for I y,foregoing and other diiiiculties, and to provide improved apparatus and procedure.

The principal objects of the invention are to providelongitudinal compacting of-the strip, to provide for cooling of the strip-substantially without restraint of the strip other than by frictional-contact with a cooling liquid, to provide for uniform cooling and sizing of the strip progressively, to provide control of shrinkage, to provide effective lifting forces along a cooling bath for keeping the strip in suspension-in the cooling liquid while advancing the strip, and

to provide for keeping the strip away from the surfaces of the apparatus.

These and other objects will appearfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings.

f Of the drawings,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing another modicationV of the invention. In accordance with the invention av warmJ plastic strip of unvulcanized rubber or other rubber-like material is deliveredprogressively by a conveyor over a flight of retarding rollers to compact it longitudinally and is led to a trough of cooling liquid, aiiow 'of cooling liquid is maintained in the trough in the direction of advance oi the strip and in a sinuous course with respect to a vertical plane, obtained by a riille or rapid in the owing liquid, so that at intervals along the trough the strip is subjected to upwardly directed iow forces which act to sustain the strip above the bottom of the trough and in suspension in the liquid. Flow forces may also be directed toward the center of the trough to effect'the greatest lifting force at'the center and to keep the strip centered in the trough. In one form of the invention a series of troughs are providedand the speed of feeding to onetrough is controlled by the condition of the strip coming from 'a preceding trough.

` Preferably the material has had opportunityto The strip shown is a tire tread althoughA strips Fig.- 1 is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, of -one embodiment of the invention,

parts being broken away.

of other forms may be similarly produced. A feeding conveyor 'I2 is aligned, with the extruding machine to receive and convey the strip to the cooling mechanism. and in order to provide for good adhesion of the strip to the belt, the conveyor has itsV upper strip-receiving ight in. clined upwardly and then downwardly. The

conveyor belt discharges the strip material over friction reducing bearings. This ilight of rollers is inclined downwardly to deliver the strip to a trough I5 at an acute angle, preferably at about 15 degrees to the'horizontal.

Belt I2 is driven by a Vmotor I6 through a variable speed drive I1 of the Reeves type which may be regulated at will by the operator to drive the strip forward at any'desired speed. Motor I6 has a sprocket I8 fixed to its shaft which drives a sprocket I8 of the variable speed drive through a chain 20. The variable speed drive in turn has a sprocket 2| which ydrives a sprocket 22 on the conveyor through a chain 23. Conveyor i2 is trained about pulleys 24, 25 fixed to shafts 26, 21 respectively. Shafts 28, 21 are journaled in a frame 2l, and sprocket 22 is xed to shaft 21.` Guide rollers 20 may also be journaled in the frame 28 for supporting the upper reach of the conveyor belt and may be so arranged as to cause the upper reach to bow upwardly although this is not necessary. The bowed arrangement provides for greater adhesion of the strip to the conveyor belt for positive driving as any stretching of the strip causes strains which may be resolved into force components directed against the face of the belt throughout the extent of the upper reach of the belt. s

The arrangement is such that the conveyor belt speed may be varied at will by the operator and by increasing the speed of the belt the strip is progressivelyv compacted due to friction of the rollers Il. While suiiicient friction t'o retard and longitudinally compress the plastic strip may be obtained by the use of free-running rolls, braking means may be applied theretoto increase friction if more longitudinal compression is de- 4sired. In this manner it is possible for the strip to recover substantially from the strains induced in it in the extruding-operation all by the time the strip reaches the bottom of the flight I3 of rollers, so that but little or no shortening of the strip need occur during the subsequent cooling operation.

The 'trough I5 is supported by the frame 28 and is siigntiv inclined to the horizontal. A pipe 30 supplies a ow of water or other cooling liquid along the trough to its lower end where it collects in a catch basin 3|. A pump l2 may be employed to circulate the water and is supplied by a suction pipe 33 from the catch basin from which it returns the water through pipe I to the upper end of the trough.

.e The specmc gravity of rubber compositions such as are employed for tire treads are usually slightly greater than that of water so that ordinarily the rubber strip would drag along the bot-.- tom of the troughand be retarded considerablyv cured acro itsbottom at spaced-apart intervals. These rimes partially obstruct the trough so that the water flowing down the trough is forced upwardly at each rifile exerting an upwardly-directed force against the strip and raising the strip clear of the obstruction because of the inertia of the water. The liquid is thereby formed with a series of standing waves, the' crest of each wave tending to aquaplane the st'rip therealong while cooling it.

The arrangement is such that the strip is urged along the trough only by friction of the water contacting with it'which is very small and.v due to the superior speed ofthe water, no drag of the strip is permitted. Consequentlnas the 7s A guide pulley10 is mounted on a horiixiintalv friction of the liquidis relatively low, the strip is free to shrink, if it needs to shrink, without substantial external resistance.

The strip may be delivered to the trough substantially free from tension, and it has beenfound that by adjusting the speed of conveyor belt I2 the strip may be compressed longitudinally before it enters the cooling liquid so that subsequent cooling leaves the strip at very nearly in the condition as to dimensions at which it entered the bath of liquid.

To provide for keeping the strip clear of the sides of the trough, the lriiiies l35 may converge at the center of the trough, as at 36` as shown, in Fig. 2, in the direction of flow and of movement of the strip thereby concentrating the-lifting forces at the center of the trough. 'I'his arrangement is also useful where vstrips such as tire tread strip having a greater thickness at the cen- -ter thanv at the margins is to be produced as the the zone of greatest weight. To prevent sagging of the strip between the riilles should movement of'the strip or liquid or both be suspended. 'iongitudinally extending bars I3 may be placed in the trough above the-riiiie bars.

In the modification shown in Figsqi and 5, the riiiles III extend directly across the trough 4I at right angles thereto and may be formed by attaching a corrugated sheet 42 of sheet material to the bottom of the trough or by constructing the trough with -a bottom of corrugated sheet metal. l

Where the strip material is of great cross-#section and thickness requiring long troughs for cooling, as with tread slabs for large tires, the treating apparatus may be arranged to conserve floor space and prevent stretching of the strip as in the modication of Fig. l6 where successive' cooling troughs 50, 5I, 52 are arranged one beneath the other and supported by--a frame 52. Each of the troughs is provided with rimes 54, 55, I6 respectively along its bottom, the rimes corresponding in construction to either the construction of Figs. 2 and 3 or to that of Figs. 4 and 5. A supply tank 51 for cooling water may be providedbelow trough 52. A pump l0 driven by a motor 59 is arranged to draw cooling water from tank i1 through a pipe l0 and supply it to the receiving end of trough ill through a pipe 6I. Water discharged from the delivery end of trough III is delivered through a pipe 82 to thereceiving end of trough II directly therebelow and sloping in the opposite direction. Water from the delivery end of trough Il is delivered to the receiving endof trough B2 therebelow.. by a pipe 8l. Water discharged from the delivery end of trough l2 is returned to tank l1 through a pipe M. An overflow pipe 85 extends into tank I1 for discharge of excess water, and a supplyl line (not shown) is provided. for filling thesystem or to make up losses due to evaporation or leakage. Refrigeration coils (not shown) may be installed in tank l1 to keep the temperature of the cooling water constant.

-i'ls the strip material is of great length andA would be restrained principally by friction of the water, means are provided for preventing the shaft 1| freely rotatable in bearings 12y ilxed to frame 53 at the delivery end of ytrough 50. The

strip travels about the pulley and along trough 5| in the opposite direction. A similar pulley 13 is located at the delivery end of trough 5| and is fixed to a shaft 14 rotatable in bearings 15 on frame 53. An electric motor is mounted on frame 53 and has a speed reducer 11 directly connected thereto from which a drive shaft 18 extends. A sprocket 19 ilxed to shaft 18 drives a sprocket 80 fixed to shaft 14 through a chain 8|.

A feeler arm 90 is fixed/to a shaft 9| pivoted on frame 53 adjacent pulley 10 in a position to contact a free reach of the strip as they` strip leaves pulley 10. A lever 92 ixed to shaft 9| is pivotally connected to an armature 93 movable with respect to a solenoid 84 fixed to frame 53. Solenoid 94 is a part of the control circuit of motor 16, the control system being of the Thyratron type in which the relation of the armature 93 with respect to the solenoid varies the impedance ofthe solenoid to current passing to the grid of a Thyratron tube which controls the speed of the motor. The arrangement is such' that when the reach of the strip at the feeler arm 90 shortens, it reduces the speed of motor 16 and prevents pulley 13 from stretching the strip, andas the reach lengthens, it speeds up motor 16 to take up the slack.

A pulley |00 is fixed to a horizontal shaft |0| at the delivery end of trough 52. Shaft- |0| is driven by a motor |02 through suitable gearing similarto the gearing, previously described, which drivespulley 13 from motor 16.- A Thyratron control circuit controls the speed of motor |02 and includes a solenoid |03. A feeler arm |04 is pivotally mounted on frame 53 near pulley 13 so as to contact a free reach of strip material as it passes from pulley 13 to trough 52 and an arm |05 fixed to the feeler armsupports the armature |06 of solenoid 03. \The arrangement is such that the speed ofpulley |00 is controlled by the condition of the reach of stock leaving pulley 13 i and stretch of the strip through trough 52 is prevented.

For guiding the strip between trough 50 and pulley 10, a series of parallel free-running guide rolls 82 are provided and similar guide rolls 83 are provided between the delivery end of trough 5| and pulley 13 for supporting the strip. At the delivery end of trough 52 an inclined run of free rolling rollers |01 are provided to guide the strip over pulley |00. l

For drying the strip as it leaves trough 52, a blower |08 directly driven by a motor |08 is provided with discharge pipes ||0, above and below the strip. The Varrangement is such that air is blown against the strip to dry the moisture therefrom. Pulley |00 delivers the treated and dried strip to a conveyor belt I |'2.

Due to the fact that the strip, is out of contact with the troughs substantially throughout its length by reason of the upwardly directed force of the liquid at the rimes along the troughs, and the strip is prevented from stretching by the control of speed of the pulleys about which it travels at the ends of the troughs, cooling may be effected without objectionable change in dimensions of the strip from those it possesses upon entry into the cooling bath.

Conservation of cooling fluid is also accomplished as the only loss is by leakage and evaporation, while floor space is conserved by the arrangement of a pluralityI of cooling troughs one above another.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is deilned by the following claims. l

I claim: l o

1.,v The method of treating strip plastic material which comprises feeding the strip material into a running bath of cooling liquid, and directing the liquid so that its surface tends to follow a path upwardly inclined at spaced-apart intervals along the bath to direct a series of lifting forces against the strip in the bath.

2. The method of treating strip plasticmaterial which comprises feedingv the strip material through a bath of cooling liquid, and causing a series of waves in the liquid to provide a series of consecutive upwardly directed forces against the strip for sustaining the strip in the liquid.

3."I'he method of treating strip plastic mate--v rial which comprises providing a rapid flow of cooling liquid along a course, feeding the strip material into the liquid and partially obstructing the flow at intervals along the course beneath the surface of the liquid to form a series of upwardly directed waves for sustaining the strip in.

the liquid.

4, The method of treating strip plastic material which comprises providing a rapid flow of cooling liquid alonga series of substantially horizontal courses, partially obstructing the f low of liquid along each course at intervals by riiiles at the floor of the course to form series of upwardly directed wave crests at the surface of the liquid,

progressively feeding the stripmaterial along the first course into a free reach of strip between the first and second courses, feeding the strip progressively into the second course from said free reach, controlling the feeding speed to said second course from the degree of slack of said y lcrests.

6. The method of treating freshly worked strip rubber-like material which comprises progressively .longitudinally compressing. the freshly worked strip to relieve it dimensionally in a large measure from the strains of the working, then feeding the stripinto a bath of flowing cooling liquid and directing the liquid into a series of wave crests for sustaining the strip in the liquid substantially without imposing dimension-changing stress on the strip. l y

7. Apparatus for treating strip plastic material comprising a bathof cooling liquid, means for feeding the strip material into the bath, and means directing the liquid up and down in a sinuous path so that its surface follows a path inclined upwardly at spaced-apart intervals along the bath to direct a series of lifting forces against the strip in the bath.

` `8. Apparatus for treating strip plastic matedown sinuously -ln a series of upwardly flowing wave crests in said liquid for sustaining said strip during its travel along the trough.

9. Apparatus for treating strip plastic material, said apparatus comprising a plurality of successive troughs fordirecting ow of cooling liquid in generally horizontal directions, means for feeding a strip progressively into the rst trough, means for supplying liquid to said first trough, a

second feeding means for feeding the strip progressively from said first trough into a succeeding ltrough, means controlled by a free reach of the strip between said first trough and said succeeding trough for regulating the speed of said second feeding means, means for supplying a liquid to said succeeding trough, and means in said troughs v for effecting a series of upwardly flowing wave crests in the liquid therealong for sustaining said 'strip during its travel along said trough.

10. Apparatus for treating strip plastic material.' said apparatus comprising a trough for directing a flow of cooling liquid in a generallyA lhorizontal direction, means for feeding. a strip progressively into said trough, means for supplying liquid to said trough, riiiie means in said second feeding means for feeding the strip progressively from said nrst trough into a succeeding trough, means controlled by a free reach of the strip between said first trough and said succeeding trough forregulating the speed of said second feeding means, means for supplying a liquid to said succeeding trough, and means in said troughs for effecting a series of upwardly flowing wave crests in the liquid therealong for sustaining said strip during its travel along said trough, said last-named means being arranged to converge toward the centerA of the trough in the direction of flow.

12. Apparatus for treating strip plastic material, said apparatus comprising a trough for directing a flowof cooling liquid, and means in said trough for diverting the liquid at its surface upwardly at spaced-apart positions along the trough for sustaining the strip in the flowing liquid, the diverting means converging to the center of the trough in thedirection of flow.

13. Apparatus for treating strip plastic material, said apparatus comprising a conveyor for delivering the hot strip, rotatable means engaging the strip at the delivery end of the conveyor for retarding the strip and longitudinally compacting it, and means for cooling the compacted strip without substantial stretch thereof, said cooling means comprising means for providing a stream of cooling liquid flowing in the direction of travel of the strip, and means for directing the ow at the surface of the liquid upwardly at positions along the 4stream for sustaining the strip in the stream throughout its cooling period.

CHARLES w. LEciUrLLoNT 

